Lucky beachgoers saw Olympic medallist Tom Daley this morning. He was on Brighton beach near the Palace Pier around 8am to launch a new responsible drinking campaign with the slogan “don’t drink and dive”. Fresh from his farewell to diving after announcing his retirement on Monday, Tom wore speedos emblazoned with the slogan and stood beside a large stone statue which said “1 in 4”.
This represents research from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) which states that 25 per cent of drowning incidents are related to alcohol consumption. The 30-year-old Olympian, who got his fifth medal at the Paris Olympics this year, said: “I’ve always loved being in the water, but maybe more than most, I also understand its power and the need to respect it to stay safe. “I’m proud to be working with Malibu and the Royal Life Saving Society UK to get this message out there.
Stay safe and ‘Don’t Drink and Dive!’” The campaign, run by the drinks company Malibu and the Royal Life Saving Society UK was designed to “get people talking, thinking and drinking differently around water”. This was one of Tom Daley's first appearances since he announced his retirement from diving on Monday (Image: Joe Pepler/PinPep) New research commissioned by Malibu and RLSS released today, has revealed how relaxed some Brits attitudes are towards the risks of consuming alcohol around water. READ MORE: Amber Anning breaks British record in Olympic 400m final The new research found that 62 per cent of Brits have swam or entered water after consuming an alcoholic beverage.
It also found that the vast majority of UK adults (80 per cent) were not aware that one in four UK drownings are alcohol-related. Tom Daley is a five-time Olympic medallist, having got his fifth medal in Paris this summer (Image: Joe Pepler/PinPep) To mark the awareness campaign, Malibu has launched a limited-edition capsule collection of knitted apparel, from swimwear briefs to bucket hats, in collaboration with Daley’s own Made With Love knitwear line – with all proceeds going to campaign partners, RLSS UK. Matt Croxall, charity director at RLSS said: "Sadly, the risks of being around water under the influence of alcohol can be underestimated.
This campaign – whilst on the surface appearing light-hearted – seeks to resonate and deliver a lifesaving message around the importance of not drinking alcohol and getting into water in any capacity. "We’re delighted to have this opportunity to work alongside Malibu and Tom Daley on this quirky campaign which is bringing to life the dangers of drinking alcohol in or around water. Through this initiative, we urge people to learn more about how to stay safe and enjoy water safely this summer.
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